Calling for an end to “No DSS” Discrimination

26th April, 2019

This week I attended Shelter’s important event in Parliament calling for an end to DSS discrimination in housing. Although the Department of Social Security has long ceased to exist, it is still very common to find adverts from landlords and letting agents saying “no DSS”. This outdated and unfair practice is blatantly discriminatory – women, people with disabilities and BAME communities are particularly likely to be affected, and this is illegal under our equalities laws – and must end.

Over 1 million people are in receipt of housing benefit, including many who are in work. They are as entitled as anyone else to a roof over their heads, and being in receipt of benefits does not make anyone a worse tenant. In fact in some instances their financial situation is likely to be more secure than those in insecure work. It’s good that Shelter is seeking to raise awareness of this issue amongst landlords and letting agents.